


Batman Unhinged

by AntOne7324



Category: Batman (Movies 1989-1997), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Burtonverse, Character Death, Dark, Dollotrons, Drama, Flashbacks, Gotham City - Freeform, Gothic, Multi, Obsessive Behavior, Revenge, Surgery, Tension, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2019-08-20 23:24:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16565096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntOne7324/pseuds/AntOne7324
Summary: After The Penguin's reign of terror and the disappearance of Selina Kyle, Batman continues his search for Selina's whereabouts. While Gotham braces itself for its next threat in the form of Professor Pyg, a deranged surgeon who's obsessed with the idea of perfection and to achieve his twisted fantasies, he kidnaps unsuspecting residents of Gotham City and turning them into Dollotrons through a complicated and unethical surgeryElsewhere a vengeful Chip Shreck vows to avenge his late father by targeting Batman and Gordon, who Charles feels is responsible for Max Shreck's death





	1. The Pyg

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a huge fan of Tim Burton's Batman series and I wanted to do a fanfic based around his universe of Batman and continue his work. Also instead of going for Scarecrow, Riddler, and Two-Face who were all rumored to be in Burton's Batman Forever or Batman 3, I decided to go in a different direction. A darker and twisted direction involving Professor Pyg and the Dollotrons. If Professor Pyg was created back that, I bet Burton would take him to the extreme in his series, which is what I am attempting to do 
> 
> Bruce Wayne/Batman - Michael Keaton  
> Lazlo Valentin/Professor Pyg - Michael Ceveris  
> Selina Kyle/Catwoman - Michelle Pfeiffer  
> Charles " Chip" Shreck - Andrew Bryniarski  
> Harvey Dent - Billy Dee Williams  
> Alfred Pennyworth - Michael Gough  
> Jim Gordon - Pat Hingle

A man in his late forties stirs from his sleep to find himself strapped to an operating table within a makeshift operating theatre inside an abandoned butcher's store. The man tried breaking free from his bonds but to no avail, he has no idea how he came to be strapped on the table or who put him there

The man's attire is a formal business suit - White collared shirt with a red tie and dark blazer jacket. His pants along with his shoes are black as well

" Help! Somebody help me! I am in here!" The man pleaded to anyone that may be in the building but his pleas fell on death ears

The last thing he remembered is leaving the bar and making his way towards his car, after having a few drinks with his friends. He remembered placing his key inside the lock and when he went to turn it, everything went black

" I swear to God, if you don't let me go I'm going to make your life a living hell. I will destroy you and your family. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" The man now addressed his captor

No reply

The man catches a glimpse of a tray on his right and tilts his head slightly to see a small tray beside him with a metallic plate containing surgical tools, a drill, butcher's knife, and ice picks

It became clear that whoever the captor is, this person had every intention of torturing this man strapped on the table for whatever twisted agenda the captor has in store for him

" Woah man, take it easy. We can talk about this. Whoever you are, show yourself. You don't have to resort to brutal tactics. Maybe we can cut a deal. What do you say?"

The man now became fearful for his life, no longer acting hostile and threatening towards his captor. He didn't want to die or become someone's punching bag, he wanted to live more than anything else than Gotham has to offer 

" Please! I'm the deputy mayor of Gotham. I have contacts in the criminal underworld. I...I can get you anything you want. Just please don't hurt me" The now frightened man felt his heart rapidly as the anxiety builds within him 

The man wiggles and tries to break free from his confines again but it didn't do him any good, his bonds were too tight making it impossible for him to do anything else except lay on the table like a piece of meat

" Don't be frightened. Pyg is here to save you. Pyg is here to make you all better!" a silhouette figure stood behind a curtain who faces is particularly large with large pointy ears

The man widened his eyes " Who said that? Show yourself"

Pulling back the curtain and stepping into the spotlight, a man dressed in a surgical outfit with a bowtie standing at five foot eleven appeared before his prisoner. What made this individual very unique is that he is wearing a pig's head that he carved from the animal itself and used it as a mask 

This bizarre individual dubbed himself as Professor Pyg 

Professor Pyg stood behind the small tray containing his toys in which he will use on this man, he looked down at his prey intently, meeting the perplexed gaze of this man had for him

" What the hell?" The deputy mayor could hardly believe what he was seeing " It's a little late for Halloween don't you think? Just when I thought this city couldn't get any freakier"

Professor Pyg stared at the deputy mayor " Pyg is not a freak and what Pyg is wearing is not a Halloween costume. This is who Pyg is always meant to be. Pyg's true form" he looks down at his surgical tools and easily picks up a butcher's knife

" It had taken me a while to discover who I was always meant to be, but you know that saying. Better late than never"

The deputy mayor sees Professor Pyg brandishing the butcher's knife and making his way ever so closely towards him " Hey, take it, easy man. Name your price. .... I can get you anything you want...anything. Just please let me go"

He starts thinking of other ways on how to persuade this maniac to set him free long enough to eventually betray him without Pyg ever knowing it until it is too late 

" A lifetime immunity from the cops. How about that? Huh? You can do whatever you want to whomever you want without suffering the consequences. You'll never have to stand trial, go to prison or Arkham. It doesn't get any better than that. Now does it?"

Pyg snorted amusingly at his prey " Tempting thought, deputy. Very tempting, but there's only one thing, Pyg wants from you" he replied while standing directly beside the deputy mayor

" Only one thing to make everything all better" Pyg now looked at this individual as if he was a blank canvas like an artist thinking of the perfect way to express himself 

The deputy mayor moved his head slightly forward before laying it back on the table " Anything....anything you want" his eyes shift between the weapon and the freak that's holding it 

Professor Pyg stared at the deputy mayor " Pyg wants you to be the person you were always meant to be. To be free from the shackles of imperfection and ugliness. To be free from persecution" he uses his free hand to slowly caress the deputy mayor's cheek 

" Pyg wants to make you perfect and you see the toys I have with me?" the demented freak asked to no one in particular

" Uh huh" the deputy mayor uttered

Professor Pyg snorted like a pig again " In order to make you perfect. I must first perform surgery. I will prove mother wrong, I will make her realize that Pyg is good enough. Pyg is perfect. Once the surgery is completed my little beauty, you'll end up like the others" he stated

The deputy mayor's eyes widened in horror " The....the others?"

Professor Pyg shot his head up at the way he came in and stared at the double closed doors

"Show yourselves my pretties, show this man of what he will soon become"

The doors opened and two figures slowly made their way into the operating theatre. The figures both wore teal scrubs with dried blood stains on them and their faces have altered into dolls like features

One of the figures wore bandages over his entire face except for around his eyes so that he could see, while the other figure's face resembled a porcelain doll 

" These are my Dollotrons, Mr. Deputy" Professor Pyg turned his attention back to the terrified individual 

" And soon, you shall be one of them"

The deputy mayor screamed horrifically as the demented surgeon proceeded to start the surgery


	2. Max Shreck's Funeral

A thunderstorm erupted on a Friday afternoon in Gotham City, as many Gothamites including Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Chip Shreck, and Mayor Hamilton made their way inside Gotham Cathedral to attend Max Shreck's funeral 

It was only two years ago in this very building, Bruce fought against The Joker who was originally known as Jack Napier that lead to the clown's death and avenging the loss of Thomas and Martha Wayne

The death of Jack Napier still weighed heavily on Bruce's mind as the memory of him killing his parents and Jack's eternal grin after falling 800 feet down to ground lingered on like a bad smell

Bruce couldn't understand why he was being haunted by Jack's memory after murdering him, he assumed that after he was gone, Bruce could finally be at peace and move on with his life. But that peace did not come as the nightmare continued to plague his thoughts

The images of his fight with Jack grew stronger when Bruce decided to sit at the very back of the Cathedral with his ever faithful and trusty butler, Alfred

Bruce can hear Jack's maniacal laughter ringing in his ears 

" After all these years, you still can't get over me. I'm touched"a hallucination of Jack Napier would often say when Bruce would reluctantly dream about him killing his parents

Bruce tries to shrug off his thoughts and concentrate of the funeral of Max Shreck who was just as evil as Jack Napier was

Max was a ruthless and corrupted businessman who nearly had Gotham destroyed after forming an alliance with The Penguin and plotting to have Penguin run the city as mayor. Not only that but he had attempted to murder Bruce's former lover, Selina Kyle, by pushing her out of a window after snooping into some files she had no business reading in the first place 

But when Selina survived, she turned into Catwoman and embarked on a campaign of hate and revenge against Max, that ended one final showdown between them and Bruce in the Arctic World inside Gotham's abandoned Zoo 

A showdown that resulted in Selina giving Max the kiss of death with a taser and instead of dying with him, Selina survived and has been missing ever since

Despite his best efforts, Bruce has been unable to Selina. It saddened him to know that Selina's life had been destroyed Max and her hate for that monster was the only thing keeping her going

Back on that fateful night, Bruce had tried convincing Selina to not kill Max so they can drop him off to the Gordon and the GCPD, while Selina comes and lives with Bruce so they could be happy together

However, Bruce understood why Selina ended up the way she did because he too had his life destroyed by another monster. Which is why it was so easy for Bruce to feel connected with Selina in the first place and the only person he ever truly felt close to

Two broken souls drawn together by traumatic incidents that shaped them into the very two people they are today

Bruce glanced at the closed coffin where the remains of Max's burnt charcoal body resided. It was understandable that Chip had chosen to keep the coffin closed since the way his father died would be too horrific for everyone to see

The priest stood at the podium " We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of one of Gotham's beloved residents, Max Shreck. He was a man who cared deeply at the state of what our fair city has become. He was the kind of man who would organize charities for the homeless and the poor. A man who came from a privileged life and wanted to give something back to his community. If Max was here right now, I'm sure he would want us to celebrate the life he lived and not how his life had come to an abrupt end"

Bruce snorted in derision at the priest's eulogy for Max, since he was the only in the Cathedral who knew what kind of monster Max really was

The priest continued the eulogy " I now ask that you remained silent, as those closest to Max Shreck would like to share their stories and the life that this man had led

Mayor Hamilton was the first to stand at the podium and briefly share his story with Max, that included an embarrassing moment at a Christmas party which made the crowd chuckle humorously in order to lighten the mood

Despite not being in Gotham during The Penguin's reign of terror, Harvey Dent, who had been in Metropolis conducting business in order to get Gotham back on it's feet and briefly seeing a man in a red and blue tights with a red cape and an "S" emblem plastered across his chest flying through the city, was the next to stand at the podium but his time was short and only offered Chip his condolences

A few other Gothamites would come up and share their experiences with Max before turning it over to Max's own son, Chip Shreck, who organized the funeral 

Chip stood at the podium holding a piece of paper in his hand. He cleared his throat and lifted his head to address the crowd 

" I'd like to thank everyone for coming here today, despite the weather being terrible. I'd also like to thank the mayor, Harvey Dent and the others who had spoken fondly over my father. It means a lot to me to hear you guys say such wonderful things about him, and I know it would mean a lot to him as well"

Chip takes a deep breath in order to calm himself down and repress the mixed emotions of sadness and rage flowing through his body 

" My father, Max Shreck, was the best father that any son or daughter could ever have. Unlike the other rich parents in Gotham who would throw money at their child and ignore them, my father was always there when I needed him. Even when he was busy, he would always make time to do something with me. Whether it was watching a movie, playing football or going to a game, he was always there and I will be eternally grateful for that"

He looked towards Max's coffin " I miss you, father and there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about you" Chip added as he could feel the rage of how Max died bubbling to the surface, despite his best efforts to remain calm and composed

" You should still be here and if it wasn't for Batman, you would still be alive!" Chip said angrily

A few gasps could be heard among the crowd from Chip's accusation, while Bruce rose an eyebrow while looking intently at what Chip is going to say next about him

Chip frowned in anger at the crowd " That's right, you heard me. Batman is responsible for murdering my father in cold blood, just like how he was responsible for killing the Ice Princess. Batman is a murderer who should be locked up for his crimes. He killed The Joker! He killed The Penguin and he killed Max Shreck!"

"That's a lie!" an upset Jim Gordon rose from his seat as he quickly came to the defense for the Dark Knight 

Gordon knew for a fact Batman did not kill Max Shreck or the Ice Princess. After discovering Max's body along with Penguin's, Gordon came to a conclusion that Max wasn't the person who he made out to be and a struggle broke out between the two that resulted in their deaths

He never truly bought the media of Max being the man he had portrayed himself to be and given his knowledge in this city, if anyone tries to portray themselves differently and be in the spotlight, then that person is hiding something that he doesn't want to share with the world

As for the Ice Princess, Gordon didn't fully believe Batman was behind her murder, despite the fact he saw her fell from a building with Batman standing on top, he knew Batman was involved in some capacity but didn't believe Batman had pushed or threw the Ice Princess off, and when Penguin was exposed as a fraud, Gordon believed the Dark Knight was framed for the murder in order to brand him as an outlaw and a traitor to Gotham

" Batman did not kill your father or the Ice Princess. Penguin framed Batman for the murder of the Ice Princess. While I cannot be certain what happened to your father, Batman is certainly not behind it as well. You may not want to hear this, Mr. Shreck, but your father wasn't the person he made out to be"

Chip met Gordon's angered gaze and glared at him " Of course you would say that, since you and Batman are best friends. The two of you probably planned this together. We know how corrupt this city has become and after years and years of fighting the bad guys, you finally snapped, didn't you Gordon? You didn't have the act to kill them, so you sought out the one person who did. Batman beats up the criminals and kills them if need be, while you and your men cover the whole thing up" he said accusingly

" How dare you!" Gordon glared back at Chip " In no way shape or form is Batman and myself are responsible for these crimes. I know how bad this city is, but I have never crossed the line to achieve my goals. I always work within the system and do my best to change it. As for Batman, what evidence is there to suggest that he killed Joker, Penguin or Max? Joker fell from this very building. Penguin drowned in toxic water within the Arctic World exhibit. As for Max? I don't know what happened but it's more than likely that one of the members of the old Red Triangle Circus Gang was responsible for killing him"

Chip stared coldly at Gordon with his hands grasping the podium firmly in an attempt to restrain himself from going over and attacking this old bastard

Gordon continued " Which leads me to suspect your father's relationship with Penguin. When Max traded places with you, I thought it was a father saving his son, as any parent would do. But then when I arrived to find his dead body along with Penguin's and remembering how angry he was at your father. It makes me wonder. Did your father and Max had a working partnership?" 

" MY FATHER WAS A GOOD MAN!" Chip yelled furiously 

Harvey Dent rose from his seat " Calm down, Mr. Shreck. We know you're terribly upset about your father's death, but that's no reason to start throwing out false accusations. Gordon is an honest man and so is the Batman

Chip locked eyes with Gordon while addressing Harvey " Sit down and shut up, you weren't even here when this whole thing happened. You know nothing" he said coldly

While most of the crowd were shocked at Chip's outburst and the tension building between him and Gordon, it sent off alarm bells to Bruce as he watched on intently in his seat

Chip kept his cold gaze on Gordon " Batman needs to be brought to justice and I tend to expose him for the monster he really is. Could I be wrong about you?" he nodded " It's a possibility, but highly unlikely. You better pray I don't find anything that links you to Batman's crimes. I will not rest until that freak is in prison or placed in Arkham" he vowed

He then left the podium and stormed his way out of the building, while Bruce decided it would be in his and Gordon's best interest to keep a closer eye on Chip to prevent any attempts for revenge


	3. Remains To Be Seen

After witnessing Chip's outburst at the funeral, Bruce returned home and headed straight to the Batcave, so that he can continue his mission into finding Selina's whereabouts. For the past week, Bruce has done nothing but roam the streets as the Dark Knight and picking up any traces of where the feline could be 

It didn't matter to Bruce if they couldn't be together, he just wanted to see her one last time and make sure she's ok

When he entered the Batcave, Bruce headed over to a table that contained files, notes and a plastic map of Gotham with " X" markings of all the places he's been so far. Initially, Bruce did believe Selina had perished sometime after her escape in the Arctic World until he stumbled across Selina's cat as a sign that she is indeed alive

Despite his lackluster love life, Bruce truly believed Selina was the one for him. They came from different and yet similar backgrounds, experienced traumatic events that turned them into broken freaks of Gotham 

Bruce's thoughts soon turned to what Chip had said about Batman being a cold-blooded murder and the flashing images of fighting Jack Napier in the Gotham Cathedral

Is Chip right about him? Is Bruce a cold-blooded and remorseless murderer who should be imprisoned or sent to Arkham?

Bruce wanted to protect those that can't protect themselves, but the fact that he was the cause for Jack Napier and Oswald Cobblepot's death and showing complete disregard for their lives, caused him to question his own morality

The fact that he still has the memory of Jack haunting his every being and what Chip had said, stuck accord with Bruce. He believed it was necessary to kill those that truly deserved it since the justice system in Gotham is a joke

But he is a hero. No! A superhero, who should live up to a higher standard and set himself apart from the evil in this city

As Bruce lost himself in a train of thought and questioning his path, he didn't see Alfred standing in front of him

" Is everything alright sir?" Alfred asked him 

Bruce met Alfred's concerned gaze " I'm just thinking about what Chip said in the Cathedral. About the Batman being a murderer and a monster. What if he has a point?" he asked

" While I may not have killed Napier and Cobblepot directly, I am responsible for their deaths. I could have knocked both of them into unconsciousness and sent them to Gordon to deal with. But I didn't. I knew if they were to escape, they would continue to cause pain and I wanted to stop that. With Napier, I thought if I just killed him. It would ease my pain and I could move on. But I didn't. I let the darkness within me take control" he confided

He wonders if he should even bother continuing his crusade to rid Gotham of crime and corruption. What if he crosses the line and actually kills someone with his own bare hands and sheds what little of humanity he has left

" You have good intentions, Master Bruce. They gave you no choice, they would have continued to reign terror, until someone puts them out of their misery. Don't let what Mr. Shreck said about you being a monster being true, it's not. You protect the people of Gotham and you're not a cold-blooded murderer. if you were, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now and you wouldn't be thinking about them" Alfred said reassuringly 

" While I don't necessarily agree with it, as you know. You believe what your doing is for the best for this city and it has made a considerable amount of impact. The criminal underworld isn't nearly active as it once was" 

Bruce looked at Alfred " What about Selina? Do you think she had good intentions for what happened to her?" he asked his ever-faithful butler while still doubting himself

" Ms. Kyle wanted vengeance for what Max Shreck had done to her, it consumed her to the point where she became reckless and possibly have gotten herself killed. All she thought about is getting revenge for herself. What your doing is for the people of this city" Alfred answered truthfully

" I'm not saying Ms. Kyle had no rights, she did. But what good would come from it? That goes the same for Penguin. He was fueled by vengeance for being abandoned by his parents and tried killing all firstborn sons until you stopped him. It wouldn't have eased his pain nor Ms. Kyle's. It would still make them bitter and hateful"

Bruce kept his gaze on Alfred " I'm no better. I should be setting a better example. I really never had a problem with this before. It never bothered me, until Selina disappeared and what happened today at the Cathedral"

" If you truly feel this way, sir. Perhaps it's time to change your policy of killing. By choosing the path to not kill, it'll set you apart from the criminals. Batman can still be a symbol of fear, just less destructive" Alfred suggested

Bruce nodded " Perhaps but Gotham's juridical system is still not quite up to scratch" he shrugs his shoulders " I don't know, I'll have to think about this" he decided

He looks down at Gotham's map " In the meantime, I'll still need to find her" scanning areas of the map he hasn't marked 

" It could be possible, Selina doesn't want to be found. After everything that has happened to her, she might have left to start a life somewhere else and by giving you her cat was her saying goodbye" Alfred commented

Bruce leaned back in his chair and thought about the possibility of Selina not wanting to be found " You could be right, Alfred. I've been to her apartment, several abandoned Shreck departments and other places, and I still can't find a trace" he now considers dropping his search for Selina 

Slinking beside his leg is Miss Kitty who buried the side of her face in Bruce's leg, letting him know she's around

Bruce looked down at Miss Kitty and gently patted her which made Selina's cat meow softly

" I think it would be wise, sir. It's understandable Selina wouldn't want to leave any traces of her in Gotham and wanting to start a new life. However, that being said, Master Bruce. There is a chance, Selina could pop up again one day. Unlikely but it is a possibility" Alfred replied, not wanting Bruce to give up all hope of the chance of seeing Selina again

Bruce turned his attention back to the map and the notes he had written on Selina's possible sightings, deciding whether or not to give up or continue on looking " It probably would be for the best, If I stopped and concentrate on Chip Shreck" he thought

Alfred nodded in agreement " It seems that Mr. Shreck is determined to expose you and Gordon for what he thinks the both of you are. How will he do this, remains to be seen"

" I think he wants to do more than expose me and Gordon, Alfred," Bruce said looking up at his mentor, " I think Chip wants to avenge Max's death. What he said today, it was all for show. Sure, he may try and start an investigation, but it won't be enough. Chip is out for blood, just like I was when I found out Jack had killed my parents" he said grimly


	4. Investigations

Chip Shreck observed a downpour of rain from a window inside his study room at the Shreck mansion. He held a glass of whiskey in one hand and listened to the thunder roaring in the background 

It's almost as if Chip is staring into his own soul, the rage and the fire burning inside him to exact vengeance of Batman and Gordon for the death of his father, Max Shreck. He firmly believes Batman to be the murderer, a monster who should be brought to justice for his crimes committed against Gotham and his father

As for Gordon, he's guilty by covering up Batman's crimes and labeling him as a hero, when he knows full well that by taking another person's life does not constitute in being a hero. Gordon claimed to be a well-respected commissioner for Gotham's Police Department, but he's corrupted just like all the others 

Chip knew that his father was far from perfect. He knew Max could be a little shrewd and a ruthless businessman when needed to be, but that's how business gets done. There's no room for nice guys in that department. If you want your business to succeed, you have to be willing to step on a few toes to get ahead and crush the competition 

Plus let's not forget that Max intentionally revealed he had attempted to kill his former assistant, Selina Kyle, to Chip after seeing Selina escorting Bruce out of his office. Although Chip didn't think much of it and thought it was an over exaggeration of Selina's firing and Max did not attempt to kill her by any means

Chip brought the glass to his lips and poured a small portion of his whiskey down his throat which burned him slightly. However, he didn't flinch from the burn, since losing his father to injustice was more painful than a slight burn of alcohol in his throat

He then headed over towards his table where it contained a number of newspaper articles, pictures, and stories on the Batman and Jim Gordon. Just looking at Batman and Gordon's pictures made Chip's blood boil with rage, which made Chip bawled his free hand into a fist and slamming it down on Batman and Gordon's pictures

Chip knew he needed more than just words to bring Batman and Gordon to justice, he needed cold hard facts to prove his case. He spotted an article containing both his father and the Penguin's death's that was slightly covered over the Joker's defeat, he quickly pulled it out and placed it on top of the others

Gotham Globe

Cobblepot and Shreck perish in a fire at the Arctic World

Chip looked past at the grotesque photo of Penguin during his mayoral campaign and stared at the picture of his father

It was a picture of Max putting on his charming smile and holding up two fingers to show the peace sign

" I will make Gordon and Batman pay for what they've done to you. I swear it"

Chip read the article of what apparently went down during the arctic world exhibit that involved a battle between Batman and Penguin, and ended with Batman being unable to save Max or bring Penguin to justice

It disgusted Chip to know that the journalist who wrote the article, didn't take the proper time to do his own investigation of the event and just assumed Batman had done his best to protect Gotham and trying to save his father

A lightbulb goes off in Chip's head

" If you want something done right. You have to do it yourself"

Without a moment too soon, Chip grabbed his coat, left the mansion and began making his way over to Gotham's abandoned Zoo and explore the Arctic World to do his own investigation on what really happened that night 

There must be some sort of evidence that Gordon and his men had obviously overlooked or not notice. Something that can tie Batman into the murder of his father. Even if Gordon was telling the truth and had no part in covering up the Dark Knight's crimes, at least Chip will have something on Batman that will put him away for good

Fifteen minutes later, Chip arrived at his destination and parked his vehicle outside the front gate. Chip grabbed his umbrella, left his car, closes the door and began making his way through the Zoo which looked more like a graveyard than an actual Zoo

You would think that after what happened with Penguin or even when the Zoo first closed, the local authorities would have destroyed it and built a new Zoo or something else, other than just leaving completely abandoned

But nope. It was still the same

After passing a few ruined exhibits, Chip now stands outside of the ruined Arctic World, where half of the entrance had been completely thanks to the missiles that were attached to the backs of multiple penguins which was meant to destroy Gotham, but Batman hacked them and used the missiles to destroy the exhibit and stop Penguin instead

Chip passed through the debris and headed down a flight of stairs that led to underground exhibit and Penguin's former base of operations. Chip could smell the toxic fumes in the water in which Penguin had contaminated for his horrific plot to drown all of Gotham's first-born sons, which made the vengeful son cover his mouth 

He now looked around for any trace of evidence, anything that will help back up his claims. Just being in this exhibit and standing on the very site where his father was murdered not only strengthed Chip's resolve to deliver justice, but it also saddened him to know that he was robbed of a father 

Just when Chip was about to give up, he spots something from the corner of his eye that immediately captured his attention. A large black object laying slightly behind a destroyed generator

Chip headed over to the generator and as he got closer, the black object turned out to be one of Batman's old mask that he ripped to show his identity to Selina. He picked up the mask and held it in the air 

He finally has his smoking gun. That one piece of evidence that can very well link to Batman murdering Max Shreck. For Gordon's sake, he better be telling the truth of not being corrupted and covering for the Dark Knight or Chip will bring him down as well 

" I have you now!" a victorious Chip said before scrunching Batman's ripped mask in his hand


	5. Failed Subject

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologizes for not updating this a lot sooner, I planned to post more last month but with Christmas coming up at that point and other personal problems, I wasn't able to continue this story. But now I can and hope it was worth the wait

" No...no that's not right"

Professor Pyg turned his drill gun onto the former Deputy Mayor of Gotham who has undergone extensive and unethical surgery in order to become the next Dollotron

Rizzz! Rizzz!! Rizzz!!!!

" NO!"

" NO NO NO NO NO!"

Professor Pyg squealed in horror as he turned off the drill machine and placed it down on the metallic plate beside the operating table. He now fought a sudden urge to vomit by covering his mouth after seeing that his attempts at making the Deputy Mayor perfect had failed and became repulsed at the sight of the failed subject

"So ugly....so very ugly. Mother won't be pleased with Pyg. Oh no no no. She will be most certainly angry with Pyg because Pyg failed to make the deputy perfect"

Standing in the background of the makeshift surgical room inside the abandoned butcher are the two "perfect" Dollotrons, they stood almost like statues, watching their creator and who they now called " Daddy" with interest

Professor Pyg had to turn away from the sight of what he felt was a complete abomination. An abomination to his twisted ideals of perfect and abomination to life itself. It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Deputy was made to be perfect, not some ugly cockroach that should be squashed at a moment's notice

Although this wasn't the first time the deranged surgeon had failed in making another human being into a Dollotron. During his first attempt at surgery and embracing who Pyg felt really was, he had managed to turn a normal human being into a grotesque individual who could compete with Penguin in an ugly contest

And when Professor Pyg failed, there was only one solution to correct his mistake and it was committing cold-blooded murder. Pyg believed if his projects were deemed too ugly and not worthy of perfection, then they should be out of their misery

After all, it was the humane thing to do

" D.....Da...Daddy?" the Deputy spoke in a childlike voice

Due to the complication surgery performed on him, blood stains could be seen from the teal scrub outfit the Deputy is wearing, all the way down to his feet. Several tools, drugs which destroyed a person's identity were used in the process and chemicals which made the Deputy feel no pain while still being awake 

Professor Pyg turned towards his patient but immediately looked away again, despite the fact the Deputy already had a doll's mask drilled into his face. But the sight of what lay underneath was enough to disgust him 

" Pyg is sorry my child. Pyg tried to make you perfect. Pyg tried to make you like the others but I failed. You are " Professor Pyg paused for a moment because he hated using the next word that he was about to utter " Imperfect!"

" Mother will not like it. She will curse Pyg, she will mock him for failing yet again"

Professor Pyg wailed to the top of his lungs

" I'm sorry but I have no choice" Professor Pyg said as he grasped his signature butcher's knife firmly in his hand 

The Deputy stared up at his Daddy " What is daddy going to do?" he asked

" The only thing, daddy can do" Professor Pyg replied as he held the butcher's knife in the air and pointing the blade directly at the Deputy's heart

" You were not meant for this world!"

In one second, the Deputy's life came to an end as Professor Pyg slammed the knife into his heart. At last, Professor Pyg's undesirable creation found peace but the deranged surgeon was far from being done

Angered by yet another failure and the voices of his mother telling him he's worthless, he's pointless and he will never be good enough, caused Professor Pyg to go in a fit of rage as he constantly took the knife out from the former Deputy's heart and began stabbing other parts of his body

Blood flew everywhere from Professor Pyg's face to his surgical outfit, to the Deputy's body to the table and down onto the floor

" Ugly.......ugly.......UGLY!!"

The Dollotrons stood emotionless in the back as they watched Professor Pyg go into a frenzy

Professor Pyg hated failing in surgery, he always envisioned himself as the perfect being who can do no wrong. Yet, this is the second time he has failed to make another person into a perfect Dollotron

It frustrated him to no end to see there are some people who aren't cut out to be the perfect being. There are people so ugly that even when performing surgery and Professor Pyg do his best to make them perfect, the ugliness continues to show until it boiled over to the point where that person is beyond saving 

Professor Pyg wanted to make every person in the world who he always believed to be, but it soon became clear this was not the case. There are some people who will be deemed too ugly and to imperfect to become a Dollotron

And it will be his duty to snuff out the ugly ones 

The Deputy's body now looked as if it had been mauled to death by a pack of dogs, it's body basically covered in blood but instead of bite marks, it was stab wounds

Professor Pyg stopped his attack in order to regain his breath. After unleashing some of his frustrations on the deceased patient, he felt slightly better but until he is successful in the next surgery, Pyg won't be satisfied with himself. He knows he can do better than what just happened over the past two days

" Once I've covered his ugly face, I want the both of you to string him up somewhere in the city so the police or Batman can find him" Professor Pyg instructed the Dollotrons 

" Yes, daddy!" A female Dollotron said 

Professor Pyg looked over to the metallic tray and stared at the pill bottles and chemicals he's used, and noticed that he was running empty on a few pills " And Pyg is going to need more candy for his beauties"

He grabbed the pill and chemical bottles, turned around and approached his two perfect Dollotrons " I will give you these, so you know what they are" handing the bottles over 

The female Dollotron held the bottles in her hands before wrapping a tight grip around the bottles " We won't fail you, daddy" she said

Professor Pyg snorts " Of course you won't. Pyg has made you and the fireman perfect. You can no do wrong"


	6. Saved By The Bat

Inside one of Gotham's nightclubs called Nightlife, while a few people danced to a techno tune being played in the background with strobe lights flashing, the others were busy spending their hard earned money getting drunk at the bar or wherever the hell they are sitting and having a good time 

It's the perfect escape from their troubles whether it's working somewhere where they absolutely hate or the crime that still lingers within Gotham like a bad smell that refuses to go away 

A young woman with dark blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a dark tank top, dark blue jeans and black boots sat by herself at a table in the back of the club. She already feels exhausted from dancing with a couple of friends and having a few drinks, and it's way past her bedtime. At first, she declined to go clubbing with her friends, due to a job interview she had the next morning but decided to let her hair down and have some fun for a change

" Tired already, Scarlett? I'm insulted" A brunette woman with her hair tied into a ponytail approached her friend from the dance floor 

Scarlett covered her mouth to yawn " I'm sorry Rebecca, I'm not just not cut out for this life" she smiled at her friend " I mean, I'm having a good time and all. But it's getting late and I need to get some rest before tomorrow" she said

" Fair enough" Rebecca smiled back " I'll grab Kelly and we'll get out of here"

Scarlett shakes her head " No it's ok. I only live two blocks from here, I'll walk home" she insisted

" Are you sure that's a good idea?" Rebecca asked her friend with a quizzical look

" Yeah! Why?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow

Rebecca scoffed " Uh hello" spreading her hands in a gesture " Look where we live and not to mention it's dark outside" she replied

" Oh please," Scarlett shrugged Rebecca off by waving her hand forward " I don't live far from here. Nothing is going to happen to me" she said before grabbing her coat that is wrapped around her chair and picking up her handbag from off the floor

Rebecca shakes her head " Anything can happen to you, even if you live close to a place like this. Come on. You should come back with us, you can't be too careful in Gotham. I mean three people have already gone missing and one is the Deputy Mayor"

" I'll be fine. Trust me, Becky" Scarlett stands up from her chair

She puts her second-hand light green coat on and places her handbag over her shoulder

" Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise you" Scarlett placed a hand on Rebecca's shoulder and smiled at her

Rebecca looked back at Scarlett but still wasn't convinced her friend was making the right choice

Scarlett sighed " Ok look. I'll tell you what. I'll ring you as soon as I get home to make sure I got there in one piece. Deal?"

" Deal" Rebecca nodded

" Right I gotta go. See ya and thank you again" Scarlett smiled at her friend before turning around leaving the Nightlife Club

It's a good thing Scarlett bought a jacket with her because of the cold winds blowing through the city, signifying the coming winter season. Just because Scarlett decided to head back to her apartment all alone on a desolate street doesn't mean she's an idiot

Not one to wonder to their destination slowly, Scarlett began power walking her way home, not stopping for any of the homeless people or the weirdos that may be lurking around at this time

Scarlett turned down the next street and sped her way through it like a Cheetah, and there had yet to be any signs of anyone acting suspiciously in the area, which appeared to be a good sign for the young blonde

All she had to do now is go cross the road and go through a small alleyway which would immediately lead her straight to her apartment block. Scarlett smiled because was going to make it home in one piece, call Rebecca and reassure her, then head straight to bed

When Scarlett crossed the road and headed down the alleyway, she sees a tall man with long dark hair coming in from the opposite direction. He wears a dark trench coat with a grey top underneath, black pants and brown steal cap boots

This caused the young female to slow her pacing, not wanting to bump into this stranger and while carrying on getting home. Despite not knowing if this man is friend or foe, Scarlett felt her heart beating a little faster than usual for the unknown

They crossed paths but neither of them made contact or so Scarlett thought. When the tall stranger passes Scarlett, sensing an opportunity to strike like a seasoned hunter. He grabs Scarlett's arm, throws her to the wall and pins her there

The tall stranger then brings out a knife and places it under Scarlett's throat

" Scream and you're dead. Got it bitch!" The man said coldly

Tears immediately ran down Scarlett's cheeks " Please don't hurt me. Just take my money" instantly regretting her decision to not leave the club with Rebecca and Kelly

The stranger smirked " I'm gonna do more than just take your money" he said sadistically

He then threw Scarlett down to the ground and climbed on top of her. Scarlett struggled desperately free herself from the stranger's grasp and prevent him from ripping into her clothes to assault her

" No...please......NO!" Scarlett screamed

The stranger punched Scarlett's face hard " SHUT IT SLUT! You're mine and there's nothing you can do about it" he tore through Scarlett's tank top and bra

" NO!!!"

Just when all hope seemed to be lost for Scarlett, a hero emerges from the darkness to strike down Gotham's scum and bring them to justice. Batman threw down a Batarang which landed next to Scarlett's face and immediately caught the stranger's attention

As the stranger picked up the Batarang, he turned around and sees the brooding Dark Knight landing in front him 

" Well well. If it isn't Mr. Bat." The stranger smirked at Gotham's hero as he believed with his size he is much stronger than Batman

The stranger gets off Scarlett and turned his attention towards his new prey, clearly lost interest in raping Scarlett and now has delusions of beating this freak wearing a bat suit

" You're aiming must be off. Because your little toy here, completely missed. But here" The stranger proceeded to throw back the Batarang " HAVE IT!"

Batman easily ducked the Batarang, he turns his attention back to the stranger who is now charging at him and attempting to throw a punch in his direction. Batman blocks the stranger's punch and kneed him hard in the stomach

" Ugh" The stranger groaned as he bent over " Why you" he goes for another punch but missed again 

Batman elbowed the stranger which forced him to stumble back, but the Dark Knight isn't through with him just yet. He kicked the stranger's stomach twice and knocks the stranger out with one punch 

The stranger falls flat on his stomach, while Scarlett who was still present in the alleyway looked up at Batman in awe. She's read about him in the papers and seen him on TV, but never in a million years did she think she would ever meet him in person

" Wow....the Batman. Thank you so much. I don't even want to think what would have happened if you didn't show up" Scarlett finally stands to her feet and covers herself

Batman looked stoically at Scarlett " You're welcome. The police are already on their way to pick up him. You won't have to worry about seeing him again"

He turns around and walked away from her, turning a corner 

" Wait!" Scarlett ran after the Dark Knight " Can't you stay here until" as she turned the corner her eyes widened in shock because there was no sight of Batman. It's as if he had disappeared into thin air


	7. New Threat

Chip Shreck began to grow impatient as he sat alone in the waiting area at the GCPD. In one hand he held a brown paper bag that contained Batman's ripped mask he found, when Chip did his own investigation at the Arctic World exhibit. He thought by showing up, it would immediately grant him audience with Jim Gordon but this is not the case

" What the hell is taking so long?" Chip grumbled as he looked up at the clock with time now reading ten o' clock in the evening

Why is Gordon making Chip wait when he has the smoking gun that will pin Batman to the murder of his father? What else could be so important that would make Chip to wait half an hour for?

Perhaps Gordon is still finding ways to sweep Batman's crimes under the rug and corrupting his men to help him as well. That's the only logical scenario Chip could come up with as far as he is concerned. It's shameful really. Instead of handling him like a key witness, Chip is being treated as another worthless citizen complaining about a crime that didn't seem important as it should be

Chip turned his head over to his right where the reception area is, he knows the officer on duty is mocking him as he worked on a crossword puzzle and stuffing his face with donuts. With his hand gripping the bag tightly and his frustration of being forced to wait more than he would have liked, Chip stands up from his seat and made his way over to the front desk

" What's taking so long? What is Gordon doing back there?" Chip asked the slightly overweight officer named Frank Boles 

Frank looked up at Chip from his crossword puzzle " He's in a meeting" he answered stoically

" Yeah? For thirty minutes?" Chip asked quizzically

Frank said nothing in return and only shrugged his shoulders

Chip holds up the brown paper bag for the lazy officer to see " Do you see what I'm holding here?"

" A brown paper bag" Frank answered Chip with one quick look at the bag in front of him

Chip rolled his eyes " No you idiot. What's in the bag. Do you know? Of course you don't because like Gordon, all of you pigs are incompetent. I have undeniable proof that Batman is responsible for my father's death and I demand to be taken seriously" he said 

" Look buddy. I don't make the rules around here and for your information, Gordon is busy cracking down on the case of the Deputy Mayor who went missing and two other people as well. So if I were you, I'd start showing respect" Frank frowned as he didn't like the way Chip was speaking to him

Chip scoffs at Frank's comment about showing respect " It's Gordon and the GCPD that should be showing me respect. I'm tired of waiting around and wasting my time!" he retorts

" Settle down, son" Frank urged Chip

Chip shakes his head " No! I have no intention of settling down. Batman killed my father and he's still out there"

Just as things were going to get nasty between Frank and Chip, a man in his mid thirties entered the waiting area. The man wears a dark brown trench coat over his light yellow collared shirt and red tie. He also wears dark dress pants with an officer badge clearly visible over his dark brown belt and wore black boots. The man also appeared to be slightly overweight like Frank and has visible facial hair

" Bullock!" Frank looked at Harvey " What can I do for you?"

Harvey Bullock turned his unfriendly gaze at Chip " Gordon would like to see you now" he said

" Hmph well it's about time" Chip grabbed the brown paper bag and walked over to Harvey

Harvey held the door open and allowed Chip to enter first before going in next. Once in, they proceed to walk down a small corridor which lead to the main area of the GCPD with several small offices stored into one room where several officers including Bullock worked and stairs leading to a second floor where Gordon's office is located

" Did it really take Jimbo thirty minutes to discuss those missing people?" Chip asked Bullock as he followed him over to the stairs and passing by several other officers

Harvey smirked at Chip " No! Gordon also baked us chocolate chip cookies and handed out invitations for his birthday party next week" he answered sarcastically

" Mock me all you want, Bullock. You know I'm right about Batman. He's nothing but a cold blooded murderer who needs to suffer for his crimes" Chip replied as he begins walking up the stairs

Harvey nodded in somewhat of an agreement " He is a vigilante who thinks he's above the law, I'll give you that" he commented

Chip smiled at Harvey " So there are some in the GCPD who don't feel too strongly about the Bat. That's good to know"

They now stand outside of Gordon's office, who unlike the others on the first floor below, his one actually looked like a proper office with walls and doors 

" All I know is he is doing a service to this city" Harvey begins knocking on Gordon's door " Chip Shreck is here to see you, Jim" he announced 

" Send him in" Gordon replied on the other end of the door 

Harvey opens the door and entered Gordon's office first before Chip did

" After what happened in the Cathedral, I'm surprised you wanted to see me" Gordon said as he looked at Chip from his desk 

Chip walked over and throws the brown paper bag over to Gordon, who barely manages to catch it before it was able to slip from underneath his fingers

" There's your evidence, Gordon" Chip said as he pulls out one of the two chairs placed in front of Gordon's desk and sits down 

" Look in the bag!"

Gordon looked skeptical at Chip first before deciding to open up the brown paper bag that was thrown at him. As he did, he spots Batman's ripped mask and pulls it out from the bag

" Holy shit" Harvey exclaimed as he decided to remain standing by the door with his arms folded across his chest

Gordon held the mask in his hands delicately as if the mask he's holding is an old fragile artifact. The evidence brought to him looked compelling but he had to be absolutely sure if it is what Chip claims it to be before going any further

He already knew Batman had nothing to do with Max's murder or Penguin's and Joker's, even with an old ripped mask presented in front of him. There's just no way Batman would resort to murder anyone intentionally 

" Where did you find this" Gordon asked as he noticed the smug look Chip's face

Chip grinned " I did your job, Gordon. I investigated Penguin's former hideout more thoroughly and stumbled upon it hiding behind an old generator"

" I always knew Batman was a freak but I didn't think he would resort to murder" Harvey commented

Gordon's eyes drift back to the mask held in his hands, his silence only made Chip smile even more. Even if it did prove Batman's role in Max's death, which Gordon still refused to believe that was the case. It was going to be very difficult to prove for several things 

" I think you owe me and my father an apology, Gordon" Chip looked at Gordon and became very pleased with himself 

Gordon shakes his head and finally met Chip's smug gaze " What you've brought before me doesn't mean a thing, Mr. Shreck. Yes, what you brought could be considered evidence but it doesn't necessarily mean it's true" he replied

" What?" Chip raised an eyebrow as his smug demeanor quickly faded

" Batman's mask may have been found at the Arctic World but it doesn't prove Batman murdered your father or Penguin. Anything could have happened....a fire broke out from there for God sake. All I can do is run a few tests and even then, it won't do you any good because I would also have to test your father's body and that's impossible. His body is completely fried and any single trace of DNA that may or may not have been there will be gone. I'm sorry" Gordon placed Batman's mask down on his desk 

Chip looked incredulous at Gordon, he couldn't believe that even after presenting evidence at the scene of the crime, Gordon still refuses to do anything about Batman " You know very well Batman is a murderer. This mask here proves it" he said angrily

" It doesn't. I know how badly you want to blame someone for your father's death but it's time to face facts. Max Shreck was a corrupt business man who got in over his head with the Penguin and paid the price for it. I do believe Batman did what he could to try and save him though" Gordon said

In a fit of rage, Chip slammed his fist down onto the edge of Gordon's table as hard as he could " LIAR!!"

" Back off Shreck or I'll throw your ass out of here" Harvey warned as he slowly made his way over to Chip in case if he tried to do anything to Gordon

Chip stands up from his seat and pointed his index finger at the commissioner " This proves you and Batman are in cahoots. You see the evidence being shoved in your stupid little face and deny it. You and the GCPD are as bad as Joker and Penguin were. Gotham is doomed!"

" I think it's time for you to leave" Harvey placed his hand on Chip's shoulder " Unless you want me to throw your ass in jail?" he asked

Chip takes Harvey's hand from off his shoulder while still looking angry at Gordon " This is not over. You can count on that" with one last glare at Gordon and Bullock, Chip made his way over to the front door and opened where an officer was just about to knock on the door

Chip passes the officer by and proceeded to make his way out of the GCPD building

" What is it, son?" Gordon asked the male office who is standing the in the doorway

The male officer entered Gordon's office and walked over to his boss " We just got a tip off that a body is strung up underneath Gotham bridge dressed in teal scrubs with a large bandage covering the face. There are also reports loud speakers placed above the body which played loud opera music with the word " Rejected" written behind the body" he informed

" Ah geez" Gordon sighed in frustration, he knew that a murder sight like this could only mean one thing. A new twisted super criminal has risen to fill the void in the wake of Joker and Penguin's death's " Here we go again"


	8. Crime Scene

Batman stands in front of a body that has been intentionally strung up underneath one of the support beams for Gotham bridge for either him or the GCPD and Gordon to discover. He observes the multiple stab wounds that have been inflicted all over the victim's body, but more disturbingly is that instead of seeing the victim's face, Batman sees what looked like a mask resembling a porcelain doll surgically grafted to the face 

This is unlike any murder Batman has ever seen before or Gordon for the matter when he arrives with his men. It's obvious whoever was behind this disturbing murder is a surgeon given that the victim is wearing a tattered blood stained teal scrubs outfit

Batman also notices the word - Rejected, written behind the body in big bold letters to simplify the fact that whatever this surgeon was doing to this poor unfortunate soul was a complete and utter failure

There was also the huge speakers placed above the body which played loud opera music, until the Dark Knight put a stop to it when he arrived five minutes ago

A new threat has risen from the shadows to terrorize Batman's city. A dark and twisted individual that may rival his previous enemies. Jack Napier was all about causing death and chaos in his twisted way of creating art, while Oswald Cobblepot only wanted Gotham to feel the pain he endured after being abandoned at birth

Whoever this surgeon is and whatever sick twisted goals he has in mind for this city, he has to be stopped before more innocent people suffer the same fate as the one Batman has now seen or suffer from something much worse

It didn't take long for Gordon, Bullock and a few officers from the GCPD to arrive at the sight under Gotham Bridge, as police sirens can be heard echoing coming towards the scene of the crime

Harvey Bullock is the first to leave Gordon's car, he sees Batman standing in front of the pinned up body " Hey bats, step aside. This is official police business. You have no right to even be here" he said while making his way towards the Dark Knight

He always hated how Batman would show up to crime scenes such as these unannounced and do his own little investigation that may or may not tamper with actual evidence to the sight

Batman ignored Harvey like always and continued remain standing where he is with his back turned to the grumbled detective

" Back off Bullock, Batman has every right to be here as much as we do" said Gordon as he gets out of his car and made his way over to who quite possibly is the only person he could really trust 

Harvey frowned at Gordon " This is our turf, not his" turning his full body around to his superior " If this freak wants to help our city that's fine, but he should be abide by our rules and not act as if he owns the joint" he hated how Gordon always defended a vigilante instead of his him whenever Batman is around

" Batman doesn't own anything or anyone Bullock, he's the hero that this city needs. Before he came along Gotham was barely holding itself together both physically and financially. Crime was at an all time high and the level of corruption that went all the way from the streets to the GPCD and to the mayor's office was disgusting. We barely could get anything done until he arrived. Now thanks to his presence, things aren't as bad as they used to be" Gordon replied as he stands his ground with Harvey

" Take a breather and look around for any clues that may be useful to our investigation, while I talk to Batman. That's an order"

An angry Harvey Bullock looked at Gordon one more time before turning his gaze onto the Dark Knight who now turned to face both of them " Whatever" as he started to walk past him, Bullock decided to twist the knife calling Batman a murderer before disappearing from Batman and Gordon's sight and tending to the other officers who were in the area

Gordon lets out a loud frustrated sigh while looking at his most trusted friend " I'm sorry about that" he apologized

" Don't be. Bullock is only a disgruntled detective who's only speaking his mind" Batman replied before turning around to view the body once more " Besides, he's nothing compared to this"

Gordon nodded in agreement as he turned around to view the strung up body for himself. The sight of the body with the stab wounds, the blood and the porcelain doll covering the victim's face repulsed him " Good God!" he exclaimed

He couldn't believe how gruesome the sight really was until seeing it first hand. It was exactly like what his officer told him back at the GCPD, everything that was described in the anonymous tip off came true

" Do you know what to make of this?" Gordon asked as he turned his head to Batman 

Batman kept his eyes pinned to the body " Judging by the way the body has been presented to us, this person was part of a failed experiment" he answered before moving to the left side of the body to get a closer look on a how the porcelain doll mask was surgically fused to the skin

" What that experiment is, I don't know. However, for a person to be able to pin a mask or anything else to cover the face has to be a highly skilled surgeon. There's no way a normal criminal could have able to come up with something as twisted as this and there's no way to remove it either" Batman deduced as he tried finding any pins or needles around the mask in order to remove it but was unable to find anything that could help remove it

It was almost as if the mask itself is the actual face of this poor individual

Gordon shakes his head in disbelief " Just when I thought there couldn't be anyone more sicker than Joker or Penguin, boy was I wrong. Are you able to ID him or get any clues as to who this person is?"

Batman looked at Gordon " I'm going to leave that to you. As to who this person may be, it's possible it could be one of the missing people that vanished last week" he commented as he walked past the body , returned to his original standing position and faced Gordon 

" You're probably right" Gordon briefly scans the word " Rejected" behind the body before looking back at Batman " We have to stop him, Batman. Before more people end up like this" he said assertively

As far as Gordon is concerned, seeing one body pinned up and having his face replaced with a creepy looking doll mask is more than enough. Just the thought of what this person may have endured nearly made him vomit

" We will Jim. We just need to be cautious and be one step ahead. I'll see if there are any leads than can uncover the identity of the killer, while you and your men uncover the identity of the victim and set up perimeters or do what you need to ensure no one else suffers this fate" Batman said reassuringly 

Gordon nods in agreement but then remembers his recent conversation with Chip Shreck before arriving and decided to change the subject " There's something you should know..... Charles Shreck stopped by my office fifteen minutes ago. He didn't have anything nice to say about you"

" Neither does Bullock. What's your point?" Batman asked

Gordon looked at the Dark Knight " Charles is adamant you were behind the deaths of both Penguin and his father. He even brought me one of your old masks he found in the Arctic World exhibit" he revealed

Despite knowing in his heart Batman didn't kill Max Shreck, Penguin or Joker. Somewhere inside of Gordon lingered a possible doubt in his mind and made him wonder if Batman really is a murderer. No matter how hard he tried to fight, ignore and shove it into the darkest recesses of his mind, Gordon has to know for sure, he has to hear it from the horse's mouth

" You know what my thoughts and opinions are of you. But I can't help but wonder if there is any possible truth to Shreck's claims. Especially after been given that mask and hearing where it came from. Did you or did you not kill Max Shreck and Penguin"

Batman looked at Gordon long and hard as he methodically thought of what his response will be. He knows Chip is right about him being a murderer, even if he physically didn't kill Max, Penguin or Joker himself, he is still responsible because he showed complete disregard for their lives

He could have saved Joker from falling to his death. He could have prevented Selina from killing Max, and he most certainly could have prevented Penguin from falling into the toxic water. However, Batman choose to let them all die knowing they would just continue to torment the people of Gotham if he threw them to Gordon to deal with or have them placed in Arkham instead

" Even if it is in self defense, I would understand. Just be honest with me" Gordon pleads with the vigilante just to ease his own mind and put away all self doubts 

" No!" Batman finally answered " I did not kill Max Shreck, Oswald Cobblepot or Jack Napier......they died of their own accord. I tried to save them all but due to unforeseen circumstances I wasn't able to" he lied

Gordon sighs with relief " Forgive me for ever doubting you. I just had to be certain after Charles handed me your mask"

" It's OK, Gordon. You were only doing your job" Batman replied

Batman didnt want to lie but feels like he had no choice if he wanted to continue to be the hero this city needs, even if it meant keeping Gordon in the dark at times

" I think it would be in our best interest to keep a close eye on Mr. Shreck. With his heart dead set on trying to avenge his father, there's no telling what he might do" Batman suggested

Gordon nodded in agreement " After the way he spoke to me tonight and back at the Cathedral, I'm incline to agree with you" and just as he went to look at Batman again, only to find that the Dark Knight has disappeared from his sight

" How does he do that" Gordon muttered as he turned around and went over to Bullock and his men to see if they found any clues or pieces of evidence for the investigation


	9. The Perfect Plan

On the outskirts of Gotham and inside a two story 1860's Gothic Victorian cottage, Professor Pyg soothingly listens to his favorite piece of music on a old record player. An opera song that has dominated every aspect of his being, a song that hits too close to home. The song is Ode To Perfection by David Buckley

Professor Pyg stands in front of the record player without his mask on, revealing that he is completely bald but having no hair did not bother him. Not in the slightest. All he is concerned about is living up to his mother's expectations by becoming not only worthy but the perfect being that has ever walked the Earth 

With his eyes closed and his right hand slightly raised above his chest, Professor Pyg pretends he's a conductor and is performing in front out of huge audience at the Gotham Opera Theater. From time to time, Pyg would delicately wave his hand back and forth

" I am perfect. Pyg is perfect" Pyg muttered to himself while listening to the lyrics of his favorite song

Whenever Pyg is feeling down after a botched surgery or just simply feeling like a complete failure, he would always find solace in not just this particular song but all opera songs in general. It calms his nerves, soothes his dark twisted soul and allows him to think clearly of how he will do better when creating the next Dollotron

" I will prove you and the entire world wrong. Mr. Deputy may have been a failure but Pyg tried his best. Tried to make him....perfect. However, Mr. Deputy was too ugly.....too imperfect. He was not meant for this world. I had to end his suffering" Pyg said softly as he continued waving his hand in the air and still pretending he's a conductor

Pyg then outstretches both of his arms and raises them in the air 

" Pyg will most certainly prove you wrong, mother"

Sitting in the corner of the room on a chair where the deranged surgeon can see her without so much as even having to open his eyes, a decapitated head belonging to Pyg's deceased mother is placed on top of a large stack of books. The skin of Pyg's mother is badly decomposed with only a couple strings of grey hair hanging out in front and all around the head

" You always put Pyg down when he was a little boy. Always made him feel unappreciated, worthless and nothing" Pyg's voice's started to tremble when he started addressing to the headless corpse in the room 

Despite the fact in his mentally unstable mind that his mother died a long time ago, Lazlo still felt his mother's presence around him. Always watching him and judging him with everything he does with his life. Pyg considered his mother the greatest of all time, a true perfect being he had so desperately strives to be and craving for her approval 

No matter how hard Pyg tried as a child until he became an adult, it was never good enough to please his emotionally and mentally abusive mother. Nothing was ever good enough for the old witch. It didn't stop Pyg from trying, however. Even in death, he is still trying to please her 

Pyg finally opened his eyes and turned towards his mother " Look at me now" a cold smile appeared on his cleanly shaven face. He started to slowly approach the head and acted as if his mother is still alive with her head on her shoulders and watching him perform

" I am perfect. Ever since realizing what my true destiny is, I have evolved into the perfect being" Pyg then rolled his eyes and sighs " Yes! I know that turning Mr. Deputy into a beautiful Dollotron was a complete failure but it's not my fault. He was too ugly for Pyg to make him like the others"

After a small pause, Pyg's smile quickly faded and in it's place is a deep frown, like a child or a teenager would get whenever they were being scorned by their ungrateful parents when getting into trouble

" No!! It's not my fault, mother. Pyg tried his best" Pyg said angrily at the headless corpse in front of him 

Pyg's eyes started fluttering as he pretended his mother is once again putting him down and scorning him for failing, his face contorted in rage and his teeth grinding against each other

" SHUT UP!" Pyg slapped his mother's head so hard, he knocks it off the pile of books and causing it to drop to floor, face first

A female Dollotron entered Pyg's study room after hearing her " Daddy" yelling at his so called mother " Everything OK daddy?" she asked him softly

Pyg turned to face one of his beautiful creations and smiled " Daddy's fine, pumpkin. Pyg just had a spat with his mother is all. Nothing to worry about" he said reassuringly

" OK.....dinner will be ready soon" The female Dollotron informed Pyg

Pyg walked over to the Dollotron with a grin that would send shivers down another person's spine " What is Pyg having?"

" Porterhouse, daddy" The female Dollotron replied while staring blankly at her master 

" Splendid!" Pyg exclaimed " Daddy needs to finish his conversation with mother, my precious. So if you would be so kind......get out!" ordering his beautiful creation or what any sane person would call an abomination to leave the study room

The female Dollotron did as she is told and leaves her master alone in the study room with his mother's head

" Pyg will do better, mother. I assure you" Pyg said as he turned around and walked over to the part of the floor where his mother's head laid " Pyg will not fail in the next surgery" he starts to snort like a pig

Pyg crouches down to the floor and carefully picked up his mother's head, he turned it around just so he could be looking directly at her face " I've already lined up my next four patients that are just dying for me to make them perfect. They will all succeed where the Deputy had failed. Pyg promises"

He stands up properly once more while holding his mother's head " I will make Gotham perfect, mother. One by one I will turn all of it's citizens into Dollotrons where they will proclaim me as their lord and savior. From there Gotham will become the city where only the perfect beings can thrive" he smiled once more while placing the head back on top of the pile of books 

" What's that?" Pyg raised an eyebrow at his mother " Batman? How am I going to take down the pretty little Bat? I'm glad you asked" his smile grew bigger as he steps back from the chair 

" Pyg knows Batman will find him eventually and when he does, I'll be waiting for him. Pyg has a special operation planned for our dear Dark Knight"

Pyg twirled around and moved the top half of his body into a wave motion dance as hummed to the tune of Ode to Perfection. He started performing the same moves again from twirling to moving his body into a wave, and at times Pyg would throw something else into the dance which showed how completely insane he really is

Like any other time he would get into a conversation with his mother, Pyg stopped dancing and looked at his mother " If Batman chooses to stand in my way or refuses Pyg's assistance to make him better, I'll have no choice but to kill the Bat. Maybe even eat him" he chuckled heartily at the thought

" Pyg cannot be beaten by a mare Bat. Pyg is too perfect for him. A tiny bat is nothing compared to me. In time you'll see, mother. You'll see that you were wrong about me and will have no choice but to apologize to Pyg"

Pyg walked over to the record player, stops the song and carefully places the disc back into it's folder " Time for Pyg to eat and for mother to have her rest" he turned his head over to his left where his mother's head is " Goodnight mother. Sweet dreams" blowing a kiss her way

He turned his head back to the front, walked over to the door and turned the lights off before going downstairs to join his Dollotrons for dinner


	10. Drive By

Two weeks have passed since Batman and Jim Gordon found a body strung up underneath Gotham Bridge which has just barely been identified as the Deputy Mayor, Jared Blake. There is still, no sign of the other people that went missing before the Deputy and to make matters worse, three more people have now gone missing

The people of Gotham are in a state of panic and are constantly watching over their backs on a daily and nightly basis, not knowing when the person responsible behind these kidnappings and the disturbing murder of the Deputy Mayor may strike again. Just when they finally thought Gotham would be a safe place to live since crime is at an all-time low thanks to Batman and Gordon working around the clock, a new twisted individual has emerged from the shadows to make his mark on the cursed city 

Inside Gordon's office at the GCPD, Gordon is visited by his closest friend besides Batman which is Gotham's District Attorney, Harvey Dent. Harvey too shared his disgust for the criminal underworld and has longed to make Gotham a safer place, and remove its notorious reputation as the worst city in the world 

Despite the seriousness of these disappearances and murder of the Deputy, Harvey Dent has attempted to lighten the mood and raise spirits by telling Gordon of his time in a city known as Metropolis and it's a hero only known as Superman

" You can't be serious, Harvey. A man flying in the sky?" Gordon shakes his head in disbelief and refusing to believe what Harvey saw was actually real

Harvey chuckled in amusement " It's true, Jim. I saw Superman with my own eyes, even if it was only for about ten seconds. He can literally fly and I hear that's not all he can do"

" Oh really?" Gordon half smiled at Harvey " What else can this...Superman do?" deciding to humor his friend with this ridiculous nonsense 

Gordon has seen a lot of bizarre things in his lifetime. He can accept that there's a grown man running around dressed as a bat. He can accept that a gangster turned into a psychopathic clown causing mayhem in his city. He could even accept a human who had the same facial features as a penguin

He can even accept there's a twisted surgeon running around kidnapping people for unethical and horrible experiments. But a man flying in the sky with superhuman abilities? No chance in Hell 

" I hear he can shoot laser beams from his eyes and have superhuman strength. Some people even refer to Superman as the Man of Steel" Harvey replied as he folded his arms across his chest

" However, I only saw him fly that one time but I don't doubt that this man can do all these other amazing abilities, you just had to be there to see it"

Gordon thought about it for a moment as if he is really considering the possibility there is a man that can fly and shoot laser beams from his eyes. However, it didn't take long for him to shake his head in dismissal

" Seems too far fetched if you ask me" Gordon looked at Harvey 

Harvey grinned at Gordon " You mean to tell me, despite everything that has happened in this city. Crime. The Super Criminals - Joker and Penguin. Batman. You can believe them but you can't believe in a Superman?" he asked with great interest

" Honestly" Gordon paused for a moment " No! Just seems like a children's story or something you'd see in a comic book"

" Perhaps after you solve this case, we should take a road trip up to Metropolis so you can see him for yourself. I'll flip you for it" Harvey reaches into his pocket and pulls out what he considers is his lucky coin

Harvey holds the coin so Gordon can see it " Heads we go. Tails we don't"

Gordon looked at the coin and then at Harvey " Yeah ok" he nodded, not seeing the harm in a game of chance with Harvey's coin

Harvey flips the coin in mid-air, the coin flipping from side to side with each second before crash landing into the District Attorney's open right palm. Harvey slides the coin in his right palm over the back of his left hand

He removes his right hand and smiled when seeing what side of the coin it landed on " Get ready to ask for a vacation Jim because we are heading to Metropolis once this is over". Harvey raises the side of the coin for Gordon to see

" I suppose" Gordon half smiled at Harvey 

Harvey smiled back but the smile would not last long as he remembered something that neither Gordon or possibly Batman would like " Charles Shreck came by my office last night in hopes I would represent him in a case against you and the Batman" he revealed

Gordon's smile faded " What did you say? Not that I'm worried or anything, because there's really not much evidence he has against on me or Batman. His claims are ridiculous and untrue"

" I said the same thing after Charles told me everything. He has no grounds to make against you or Batman. I can tell by his voice he really despises the both of you and probably now me for turning him down" Harvey replied

" What can you tell me about Max Shreck? As I recall he arrived not long after Joker was killed and own a chain of department stores. Correct?"

Gordon nods at Harvey " That's right. Max claimed he wanted to provide free energy to Gotham. He even aligned himself with Penguin at one point when Penguin was running for mayor until he was exposed as a fraud. Later on, Penguin crashed a Christmas party where he was going to kidnap Charles Shreck before Max offered to go in his son's place. Penguin accepted. What happened after that and by the time we found both Max and Penguin's bodies in the Arctic World remains a mystery " he informed the District Attorney

" But I strongly believe Batman had nothing to do with Max's death or Penguin's" Gordon added

Harvey looked at Gordon " Something obviously happened down there and I'm not saying Batman outright killed them or believe it entirely, but sounds to me there's a part to the story he doesn't want Gotham to know"

" I've asked Batman what happened and he told me that by the time he arrived, a fight between him and Penguin broke out which started a massive fire in the Arctic World. Batman tried to save Max Shreck but failed because one of the members of the Red Triangle Circus Gang had taser Max to death. As for Penguin? he died by falling into a toxic river that was going to use to kill the firstborn sons of Gotham until Batman prevented that from happening" Gordon said while looking at Harvey 

Harvey nodded " Makes sense. Charles, however, feels differently and is utterly convinced you and Batman are responsible and corrupt"

" I think he's in strong denial about who his father really was. It's not easy to accept that your father isn't someone who he claimed to be for Charles. I believe Max got in too deep with Penguin which ultimately costed his life in the end" Gordon replied

"Luckily for you, Charles isn't like his father," Harvey said before his eyes trailed off to his wristwatch " I suppose I better be going. I've got another meeting with Mayor Hamilton in an hour"

Gordon sighed " Yeah I better be off as well. Barbara is making something special tonight" he smiled as his own eyes locked onto a family photo on his left where it showed him, his wife Barbara and their daughter who they named Barbara as well

" Well then I'll walk you out" Harvey offered as he gets up from his chair and re-adjusted his black coat " How is Barbara by the way? 

Gordon gets up from his chair and walked around his desk to grab his brown coat from a hanger that stands next to the door " Which one?' he joked

" Both of them. Doing well I hope" Harvey opened the door and is the first to leave Gordon's office

Gordon puts on his coat, grabbed the doorknob and steps outside of his office " Both are doing well. In fact, my wife and I were considering taking a vacation at some point. She wants a change of scenery from what Gotham offers, so Metropolis isn't a bad idea. As for my daughter, Barbara has just come in first place at her school's science fair" he then closes the door and takes out his set of keys 

" That's wonderful" Harvey smiled at the news

Once he was finished locking up his office for the night, Gordon and Harvey proceeded to leave the GCPD together. They walk down the corridor leading to the front room and waiting area before finding themselves outside on the steps of the GCPD

" Well, it was great catching up with you as always, Jim. Looking forward to that trip to Metropolis. Hopefully, it won't take us too long to catch this son of a bitch that's been kidnapping these people" Harvey said while standing in front of his friend

Gordon looked at Harvey " Between you and me, this one might be worse than Joker or Penguin. I mean this surgeon or whoever it is, managed to graft a dolls mask to the Deputy's face with no possibility of removing it. I can't bear to imagine what the others might be going through. Certainly not looking forward to seeing another body strung up"

Before Harvey Dent was able to say something a Jaguar XJ 6 vehicle appears in front of the GCPD is, with the back and front windows already wheeled down on the right side. Three gangsters, two in the back seat and one in the passenger seat aims their Tommy guns at Gordon and Harvey, and begin firing 

Gordon manages to duck within the nick of time, Harvey, however, falls to the ground after getting hit in the left shoulder with a bullet. The residents of Gotham who were in the area all ducked and looked for cover, some of them were even screaming

The gangsters continued firing their Tommy guns relentlessly everywhere but Gordon and Harvey. They fire at the steps around their victims, the door and walls of the GCPD. Almost as if they were looking to send a message to Gordon and Harvey but for unknown reasons

Harvey Dent placed his black-gloved hand over his left shoulder in an effort to stop the bleeding while also groaning in pain. Gordon, on the other hand, notices how the gangsters were shooting everywhere but at them, now believing there's something more sinister at play

As the gangsters continued shooting and teasing their prey around the GCPD, a dark 1980s Lincoln Continental Mark VI appeared at the edge of a street across from where the shooting is taking place. The person who's driving and directly responsible for this attack is none other than Chip Shreck

Chip Shreck smiled in delight as his hired goons continued to fire their guns while Gordon and Harvey Dent cowered in fear, unaware that it was Chip who organized this assault from afar

Just as though the shooting looked to go on forever, the gangsters finally ceased their firing, pulled their Tommy guns away from the window with their driver driving them away from the GCPD at top speed

Gordon quickly goes over to attend to Harvey Dent's wound while also shouting at his men to call an ambulance, not noticing that Chip Shreck is watching from across the road with a sick smile on his face

" That is only a taste of what's to come, Gordon. Next time you won't be so lucky" vowed a vengeful Chip Shreck as he started his engine and drove away from the GCPD before anyone had a chance to spot him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason why I added Harvey Dent being in Metropolis is that apparently, he was there during the events of Batman Returns and in Tim Burton's third Batman movie it would be mentioned. I only added the part of him seeing Superman is because there might be a slight possibility down the road where I'll do a fanfic crossover between Michael Keaton's Batman and Christopher Reeve's Superman


	11. Suspect

Bruce Wayne sits alone in the darkness of his study room while the moonlight in the sky provided the only source of light illuminating from the windows. He liked being left in the darkness. It provides great comfort and tranquility. And why wouldn't it? He is Batman after all. A brooding dark knight who stays in the shadows, watching over Gotham and it's citizens as it's greatest protector

His mind lingers to that fateful night in Penguin's hideout where he saw Selina Kyle for the last time. He had just foiled Penguin's plot to use his own Penguins as bombs to destroy Gotham and apprehend Max Shreck for his involvement in the Penguin's affairs. Bruce remembered how terrified Selina was when he suggested that after they hand Max over to Gordon, they can finally live together and be happy

Bruce even removed his mask to show his true identity to Selina as a sign of his love for her and how he could easily stop being the Batman if need be. He knew Selina wanted it as much as she did by looking into her eyes. That longing of wanting to settle down and be happy with the one person that truly understands you as no one else can

"Bruce! I would...I would love to live with you in your castle........forever just like in the fairy tale" Selina's response echoed in Bruce's mind as his thoughts were strongly on the only woman he ever truly loved

But just as Selina looked as if she was about to accept, she scratched Bruce's cheek and believed that neither she nor Bruce could ever live together and be happy. Not after all the horrible things Selina has done They were both broken and beaten down by a society that warped them into these twisted alter egos of Batman and Catwoman to get back at the world

Perhaps Selina was right. Perhaps they weren't destined to be together because simply too much has happened during the first encounter together. Selina was nearly killed by Max after being pushed out of a window that warped her already fragile mind into a terrorist, who swore revenge on her former employer

Just like Alfred said the other day when discussing Selina, she was a woman who had been through a lot more than any person should have gone through. Consumed with vengeance and was only out to make herself feel better. Even if it meant taking another life

No! Bruce thought to himself. No matter how twisted they both were, they shared an emotional connection and understood who the other person was. Despite what Max and the world has done to them, surely a chance of happiness is worth the risk 

If only Selina was willing to give Bruce a chance. Even though he agreed to drop his pursuit in finding her since the trail went cold as soon as she killed Max and Bruce wasn't able to find any leads, he still has that urge of wanting to go out and find her. Even now while still trying to track down the mysterious identity of the surgeon who killed the Deputy and has kidnapped several people in Gotham 

"Where ever you are Selina........I hope you're safe and happy" Bruce said softly

Bruce soon snapped out of his thoughts when he sees Alfred standing in the doorway holding what appeared to be a thick brown folder tucked underneath his left arm

Alfred uses his right hand to flip a switch to turn the lights on in the study room "Everything alright Master Bruce?" he asked as he stepped into the room

" Just miss Selina is all. I'm hoping whether she is, she's happy" Bruce confessed

Alfred started walking over to Bruce " I'm sure Ms. Kyle will be fine. The main thing is she is alive and didn't perish along with Mr. Shreck" he replied

Bruce changes the subject by glancing at the thick brown folder Alfred is carrying " Is that what I think it is?"

Alfred nods " It is, sir" he uses his right hand to pull the brown folder out from underneath his left arm and handing it over to Bruce

Bruce grabs the folder and reads the name of Lazlo Valentin in thick bold letters plastered in the middle of the cover

" I looked through all the records in both Gotham General and Arkham Asylum for their best doctors and surgeons. None stood out more than Mr. Valentin did as a potential suspect in these disappearances and the murder of the Deputy" Alfred informed as he looked at Bruce

" Thank you, Alfred" Bruce opened the folder and immediately started to read Lazlo's profile, birth certificate and look at photos of Lazlo in early adulthood that included a photo of him as a surgeon in Gotham General

" Born on January 6th, 1950 to Livia Valentin. Only child. A gifted surgeon who was able to repair wounds and injuries that otherwise could be deemed irreversible. Developed a reputation as one the best surgeons in Gotham" Bruce loosely narrated while reading into Lazlo's file and pictures

Alfred glanced down at Lazlo's file in Bruce's hands and listening to his narration on their potential suspect

" His mother died in 85 due to natural causes. Lazlo took time off to grieve as he was considered close to his mother but immediately returned to work after two weeks. His colleagues thought Lazlo's return was too soon but the latter claimed he was fine" Bruce's narration of Lazlo continued while rifling through the file

" Read the incident report that ended with his termination, sir" Alfred suggested

Bruce looked up at his ever-faithful butler and father figure before looking back down at the file and turning to the next page that had an incident report involving Lazlo and a male nurse

"On July 4th, 1985, Lazlo attempted to perform a non-consensual surgery on a male nurse, Ernest Craven, to which Lazlo claimed he wanted to make Ernest into a perfect being. Lazlo held Ernest against his will in the operating theatre one night and strapped him to the table. However, before Lazlo was able to start he was caught by his assistant and another nurse that resulted in Lazlo having a complete mental breakdown" Bruce said grimly

Alfred shakes his head in disgust " I believe we have found our kidnapper and killer"

" After his arrest, Lazlo was deemed insane and not fit to stand trial. It was from there he would be transferred to Arkham Asylum to receive psychiatric treatment" Bruce then closes the folder

It's clear that Lazlo Valentin is responsible for these recent kidnappings and the death of the Deputy Mayor. There's no doubt in Bruce's mind after reading Lazlo's file that Lazlo was behind it, especially after reading the incident report

But there's one thing that doesn't add up. If Lazlo is indeed responsible for these kidnappings and he was a patient at Arkham at one point. Why hasn't the news covered it or been an official investigation? Surely anyone who breaks out of Arkham or Blackgate will be reported immediately with the public to be aware and on the lookout for the suspect in question

There's no way Lazlo can still be committing these crimes and still be locked up at Arkham. Something else must have happened. The last piece of the puzzle that has gone missing. Whatever it is, Bruce is determined to solve it and find Lazlo before he can do any more harm to the people of Gotham

Bruce looked up at Alfred " Alfred let's go for a ride"

" Yes, sir!" Alfred replied before turning around and walking out of the study room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to include Pyg's true origins with the Circus of Strange but then I remembered this is the Burtonverse. This is Burton's Batman. Tim already changed Penguin into a monstrous being and it worked really well. So I decided to do the same thing with Professor Pyg by making him a deranged surgeon that is still obsessed with perfection and creating Dollotrons. Plus since Burton's Penguin had a circus vibe, I really didn't want to repeat it


	12. Arkham

Arkham Asylum. Home for the criminally insane and founded by Amadeus Arkham in the early twentieth century. The building contained four and a half million bricks made of local clay on the site and was 225 meters long and 67 meters wide. The great central tower is about 50m in height which is also used as an observation tower should any of the inmates try to escape. The structure had turrets on corbels projecting nearly every corner, with the gabled roofline dominated by the central tower complete with turrets

The walls around on the outside and inside of Arkham are generally dark and gloomy with 26.5 acres of land. There is only one driveway leading from the front gates all the way to the asylum

Alfred pulled the car up next to a booth at the front gate where a security officer had been stationed to deal with outsiders wanting to visit loved ones in Arkham, bringing in new patients or to meet with Arkham's current director, Dr. Bartholomew

" Good evening" an African American officer greeted as he looked at Alfred and the vehicle in the side window " What can I do for you on this fine evening?" he asked 

Alfred rolled down the window " Mr. Wayne is here for a meeting with Dr. Bartholomew" the butler announced

The officer nodded as turned his attention onto a large brown book detailing the times and names of people that have visited the Asylum throughout the day. He looks down the list but isn't able to see Bruce's name in the ledger

" I can't see Mr. Wayne's name in the book" the officer replied looking back at Alfred

Alfred looked at the officer " The doctor is expecting him" he insisted

" I'll give him a call" The officer offered as he looked back to his seat and picked up the handle of a black landline phone and punched in a few numbers. It only took a few seconds before Bartholomew answered and confirmed that he is indeed expecting a visit from Bruce Wayne

" Alright, I'll send them up. Ok..bye" The officer hangs up and turned his head to Alfred " Sorry about the mix-up. You folks can go on through now" he pressed a button underneath a desk which swung the large dark metallic gates open

Alfred thanked the officer before proceeding to drive the car up the driveway and to the front doors of the asylum. Bruce observed the Asylum's surroundings which were nothing more than lightly trimmed grass, a large wall surrounding the area to keep the inmates in and a few pine cone trees

Before leaving his home, Bruce had strategically organized a meeting with Dr. Bartholomew as a way to ask him about Lazlo Valentin's time within the Asylum, while also considering making a generous donation to help stabilize and possibly expand the facility. As reports go, Arkham has suffered due to old leaking pipes, faulty wiring and parts of the structure becoming unsafe for staff and patients in recent years

Bruce needed to know what exactly happened during Lazlo's stay in Arkham and the possible reasons for his release, considering the fact that after what Lazlo tried to do to Craven, no one in their right mind should ever release Lazlo unless they were absolutely sure he was cured of his illness

" I won't be long, Alfred" Bruce informed Alfred

Alfred nodded " It was a good idea of convincing Dr. Bartholomew to meet with you by giving Arkham a generous donation. If not that, I doubt he would have ever agreed to see you" he said before stopping the car outside a few steps leading to the front doors of the Asylum 

" Judging by the reports from Arkham, this place could certainly use the money," Bruce said before he unbuckled his seatbelt and gets out of the car. He looks up at the dark grey walls of Arkham before venturing into the building

Once inside, Bruce is greeted by a man in his late fifties with short dark brown hair that shows signs of receding. The man wears a large black coat over a dark orange collared shirt with a black tie, black dress pants, dark brown shoes and has black horn-rimmed glasses

" Good evening, Mr. Wayne" The man sticks out his hand for Bruce to shake while giving him a friendly smile

Bruce shakes the man's hand " Dr. Bartholomew, I presume"

" I see my reputation proceeds me" Bartholomew joked before letting go of Bruce's hand " Would you like a tour?"

Bruce nodded and thought it would be a good idea to see how bad Arkham has gotten before handing over a large sum of money " Sure" he replied

" Excellent" Bartholomew smiled at Bruce " Follow me" 

Throughout the tour, Bruce becomes more aware of the problems in which Arkham is currently facing while also observing the patients who were all dressed in black and white uniforms. Some patients simply stared at Bruce, while others were in their own world with a few babbles here and there

Bruce also listened to the story of how Arkham's dark history by Dr. Bartholomew and that even it's own founder, Amadeus had suffered a mental breakdown after his family was murdered by a patient he was treating at the time and was locked within his own asylum for the rest of his life before dying of old age

" I have to say, I'm quite surprised you've taken an interest Arkham, Mr. Wayne" Dr. Bartholomew stopped walking and turned to face Bruce " Not to sound ungrateful or anything of that nature. Why have you taken an interest now? In fact, why haven't you used most of your resources to help Gotham get itself out the cesspool it's gotten itself into" The doctor asked curiously

Bruce looked at Bartholomew " Why?" he thought about it for a moment " Because you can't be too trusting in this city. From some members of the police department right up to the political officers is corrupted and they'll make any money being given to them. People like that don't deserve money and are the reason Gotham is in a bad state. But this place and the patients that reside in it? They deserve it. Arkham needs state of the art equipment to treat the mentally ill. I'm just sorry I didn't get around to it much sooner"

" Far enough" Bartholomew nodded in agreement " You can't be too trusting of people in this city. Not in Gotham. In fact, it was your parents who were interested in fixing Arkham before their untimely demise. I think at one point they were considering demolishing this facility before rebuilding it" he replied

" Not a bad idea" Bruce commented while looking around at the dark gloomy walls

Bartholomew stared at Bruce for a few seconds as if something in his gut told him that making a donation isn't the main reason why the secluded billionaire arranged their meeting " Tell me something, Mr. Wayne. You're not just here to hand money over, are you?"

While he is grateful Bruce is willing to help stabilize Arkham, he couldn't wrap his head why a guy like him who basically lives as a hermit and is barely known to Gotham's citizens has taken an interest in this place. But since Bruce was the only person willing to help, Bartholomew decided to bite his tongue and not press Bruce on questions that may end with him changing his mind

Bruce met Bartholomew's gaze " To tell you the truth, no. I was wondering what you can tell me about Lazlo Valentin?"

" Lazlo Valentin!" Bartholomew raised an eyebrow " Quite a lot but unless it had to do with a police matter, that's patient confidentiality" he stated

Bruce nodded and pretended to now look disinterested in giving Arkham a donation " Fine. Perhaps I'll go somewhere else" he turned around and slowly started to walk away from the doctor

" Wait!!" Bartholomew exclaimed as he sees Bruce no longer walking away from him " We can talk in my office about Mr. Valentin" he offered

Bruce turned around to face Bartholomew " That will be good"

Ten minutes later they were now seated in front of each other in Bartholomew's office. The office had dark grey wallpaper, two large bookshelves placed behind Bartholomew's table with a large window placed in between the bookshelves, framed certificates of Bartholomew's accomplishments and qualifications mounted above a fireplace on the left side of the room, while on the right side a had a large painting of the asylum 

" What do you want to know about Lazlo Valentin?" Bartholomew asked Bruce

" I have reason to believe he's behind these recent kidnappings and the murder of the Deputy Mayor" Bruce answered as he folded his arms " I know he was placed in Arkham shortly after trying to perform surgery on a male nurse. Probably the same surgery he has inflicted on the other people that have been kidnapped"

Bartholomew looked at Bruce " An interesting theory...but I'm afraid that's not possible" he shakes his head

" Why is that?" Bruce asked Bartholomew

" After Mr. Valentin was placed under my care, he suffered from extreme delusions of what he perceived to be perfection due to years of emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of his own mother, which made him a schizophrenic. It took a considerable amount of therapy and treatment to treat his condition. Over time, Mr. Valentin accepted that fact that nothing nor anyone is perfect and had been given a psychological test to prove if he was deemed fit to be released. Mr. Valentin passed and released immediately afterward in the summer of 88. However, he soon disappeared and went off the radar for a number of months .......until...." Bartholomew revealed before pausing in mid-sentence

" Until what?" Bruce asked with one eyebrow raised 

Bartholomew sighed " Until we were notified in Bludhaven that Mr. Valentin had died in a house fire. I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne. I don't know if you've run into him in the past or the sudden interest but Lazlo Valentin isn't the man responsible for these disappearances"

" He could have faked his death. Did you examine the body or any trace of DNA?" Bruce pressed knowing full well Lazlo had indeed faked his death to avoid suspicion

Bartholomew shakes his head " The body was identified as Lazlo Valentin with his DNA. Maybe Mr. Valentin had followers during his time in Bludhaven" he shrugs his shoulders '"Who knows"

Bruce knew in his heart that no one other than Lazlo was behind these disappearances and was intelligent enough to fool Bartholomew and the other doctors in Arkham into granting his release. He just can't see anyone else following in Lazlo's demented footsteps unless he had a child but the file he received from Alfred showed no indication Lazlo had been in a relationship

" Well thank you, doctor, and here" Bruce reaches into the secret pocket of his blazer jacket to grab a check that had already been written prior to his arrival. He takes out the check and hands it over to Bartholomew

Bartholomew grabs the check and both his eyebrows raised due to the amount of money he had just received " Thank you, Mr. Wayne. Thank you" he now lowered the check to look at Bruce 

" You're welcome" Bruce half-smiled before getting up from his seat and outstretches his hand " Pleasure meeting you doctor and good luck with Arkham" 

Bartholomew shakes Bruce's hand " With the amount you've just given me, I most certainly will" smiling back


End file.
